Shout it from the rooftops

Design high . . . the communal terrace at the Claremont in South Yarra/
Photo: Dianna Snape

by
Stephen Crafti

Large back gardens have been slowly disappearing over the past decade as people scale down to smaller homes and apartments. And as apartments become even smaller, providing generous outdoor spaces becomes more crucial. When there’s not enough space at ground level, another option is a roof terrace.

“The success of a roof terrace is access. It can’t just be accessible from one room," says architect Karen Alcock, a director of MA Architects.

MA Architects included roof terraces for two of four townhouses they designed in Elwood, Melbourne. On the ground level of these are the kitchen and living areas, together with an internal courtyard directly behind the timber-battened garages. On the first floor are three bedrooms. Each courtyard has a spiral orange steel staircase that leads to a roof terrace. This staircase can be accessed from the courtyard and from both levels of the homes.

Approximately four by six metres, each roof terrace features a drum-like steel screen that provides privacy. The screens taper towards the street (from 1.8 metres to one metre) to increase the views towards the beach and tree tops.

“We also wanted to provide protection from the wind," says Alcock.

The staircase creates an ‘anchoring point’ in the design, connecting levels while being a design feature from living areas and bedrooms on the first floor.

Bird de la Coeur Architects also regularly includes roof terraces in its apartments. One of its recent developments, Claremont in South Yarra, Melbourne, features a generous communal “winter" lounge that leads to a large rooftop terrace. The lounge has banquette-style seating, open fireplaces, a kitchenette and a bar. Alcove style-seating and internet access allow residents to use this space as their second living room or even home office.

“Even if your apartment is small, having these rooftop spaces makes your footprint feel significantly larger," says architect Neil de la Coeur, who worked closely with Hassell Interiors on the project.

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The communal roof terrace at the Claremont has a 25-metre long lap pool and outdoor seating. Landscaped and with a barbecue, this terrace is a substitute for the traditional back yard. But being well above ground level requires a different approach.

“One of the main issues is the wind. There’s no point in creating rooftop terraces if they’re not sheltered from wind or extreme heat," says de la Coeur.

In the case of the Claremont apartments, the rooftop terrace is located just above the tree tops, with the canopy offering some protection. Steel and timber balustrades surrounding the terrace protect from the wind.

“You also need to think about solar orientation when you’re designing rooftop terraces, and the way light enters the adjacent interior spaces," del la Coeur says.

Architect Marc Dixon included a more modest roof terrace on a home he renovated in Prahran, Melbourne. Originally built in the 1930s, the single-storey house – which is one of a pair – required a new kitchen to replace the old lean-to.

One of the two bedrooms at ground level was turned into a dining room, and a new bedroom was added on the first level, together with a terrace.

While there’s access to the terrace from the first floor bedroom, the family also has access to this area from a staircase leading from the kitchen.

“This allows the entire family to use the roof terrace, rather than it being the children’s domain," says Dixon.

Relatively compact at about 2.5 metres by seven metres, the terrace is one of the most used spaces in the house. Protected from the wind by folded steel screens, it enjoys a leafy outlook over the street and neighbourhood.

However, there are issues in creating a roof terrace.

“Planning permission can take time, given overlooking and privacy concerns. And, at a technical level, you need to ensure rainwater can get away and the roof terrace is waterproof," says Dixon.